House Republicans Threatening To Impeach Obama

This whole "debt ceiling" issue is just starting to get childish, now.  GOP House Rep. Steve King, from Iowa, sent the above tweet this morning.  That's right.  Republicans are now threatening impeachment if a deal isn't reached, and the nation is forced to default on any debt after August 2nd.  

The tweet was in reference to the "Cut, Cap and Balance"(along with the Slice, Dice, Weigh, Measure, Julienne, Cover and Bake at 375 Degrees For 45 Minutes) plan, introduced by Republicans in the House, that includes a Balanced Budget Amendment.  The Democratic led Senate shot it down immediately.  The president now finds himself in a 'Damned if you do, damned if you don't' type of situation.

The 14th Amendment, Section 4, of the United States Constitution says in part:

"The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned."

One of Obama's options as a solution to this stalemate is to raise the debt ceiling without Congressional approval.  The idea, according to inside sources, has already been presented to the president.  He is constitutionally afforded that option.  Rep. Tim Scott of South Carolina, has already made it clear that if that were to happen, Obama would be facing impeachment as well.

“This president is looking to usurp congressional oversight to find a way to get it done without us,” Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) told a gathering in Summerville, S.C., “My position is that is an impeachable act from my perspective.”

Scott added: “There are a lot of things people say, ‘Are you going to impeach the president over that?’ — No. But this? This is catastrophic. This jeopardizes the credibility of our nation if one man can usurp the entire system set up by our founding fathers over something this significant.”

House Republicans are effectively holding this nation hostage until their demands are met.  They want Social Security, along with Medicare and Medicaid to lose funding, while keeping their Bush era tax breaks for their wealthy friends and oil lobbyists. 

I receive Social Security.  At the moment, it's our family's only income.  We can't pay our bills as is on the amount that is deposited into our checking account each month.  How on Earth are we expected to live if my benefits are cut?  My Medicare goes into effect in October.  Medicare Part A will only pay for one physical per year.  No other office visits.  It doesn't pay for any of the 13 medications I'm currently taking or my weekly therapy visits for my PTSD (which is what made me disabled to begin with).  My surgeon says that I will likely need at least one or two more spine surgeries before the end of the year.  Although I haven't completely healed from my last operation, I'm trying to fast track the next surgery and have it done as soon as possible.  That way, the bill will be Blue Cross Blue Shield's responsibility and not my own.

If the nation defaults on it's debt, I may not have money for rent and utilities next month.  I'm sure I'll eventually get paid, but the situation puts my future, along with millions of other Americans, up in the air.

I'm sure the threat to impeach Obama is just that:  a threat.  When you think about it, it is the worst thing Republicans can do.  If Obama is impeached, then Joe Biden becomes the president.  Biden is much more liberal in the eyes of the GOP.  He's also as loyal as a Golden Retriever to Barack Obama.  He's the last guy you want to be pissed off and in charge.  I honestly don't think it will happen.

President Obama spoke to the nation tonight, to reiterate the fact that he isn't backing down when it comes to the demands of House Republicans.  He has made it clear that cutting entitlement programs is not an option.  Speaking for myself, I would rather have my monthly check be a couple of days late, than being noticeably less down the road.  The president's address to the nation is below.